The Mysterious Mr Zabini
by k8ebug
Summary: Erin MacGillian is a fifth year at Hogwarts. When she meets Blaise Zabini by accident, her life changes for the better! Rated PG-13 for violence and later darker chapters.
1. Chapter One, In Which I Lose My Temper A...

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The Mysterious Mr. Zabini

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Chapter 1- In Which I lose My Temper and Meet an Ally 

I met Blaise Zabini by accident during a Quidditch game in my fifth year. It happened something like this…

One of the Slytherin seventh years had just grievously insulted my best friend, Dennis Creevey, but he made the mistake of doing so within my hearing. I jumped up to face him and realized that the lumbering idiot before me was none other than Jeremy Flint. I didn't even bother to review the consequences of attacking this troll before thrusting my fist into his face, which met his misshapen nose with a satisfying crunch. Flint howled in pain, but before he could call his cronies to pulverize Dennis and me, I grabbed my friend and darted down the tower stairs.

When we reached one of the levels where an interconnecting corridor offered passage to all of the other towers, I pushed Dennis left directing him to go find the north exit and go back up to the castle. "Run!" I commanded, when he just stood there looking at me. "Before Flint comes back with his not-so-little buddies that will beat us to a crimson pulp!" Dennis' eyes widened and he turned, moving quickly away from me. I turned right and maneuvered the dark passages expertly, if I do say so myself. Suddenly, I heard deep voices coming from ahead of me.

"Where'd they go?" growled one voice. I recognized it as belonging to Geronimo Kent, a friend of Flint's.

"Probably split up, like last time," Flint responded with a growl. I noticed with relish that he sounded a bit stuffed up. "You go dad way, I'll look dis way," he directed. "Whed you fide one dof theb, bead 'em do a pulp. Thed fide me. Ad Kent, try to be quied aboud it, you doe? They're doo wimby do tell a teacher, bud sdill…*" He trailed off, moving away. Kent however must have turned in my direction, for I heard clumping slowly toward me. I looked around frantically. The only other place I could go was toward Dennis! I decided to head for Kent. Maybe I'd reach another tower before he could, and hide there. 

I moved forward, trying to stay in shadow. Almost immediately, I saw a doorway leading up to a seating tower. It was Ravenclaw, a neutral zone, so I headed for it, but before I could get inside, Kent appeared a few feet away. I froze, just inside the doorway. _Please,_ I thought desperately, _let him go away, let him keep going._ Just my luck. He moved toward the Ravenclaw door. If I moved, he'd hear me, catch me, and beat me to an ooze. If I didn't move, he'd bump into me, catch me, and beat me to an ooze. Some choice, huh? Just then, a new voice flowed from a shadow that I hadn't noticed.

"Kent," it said clearly. Male. "Keep going. They aren't up there."

"You sure?" Kent grunted.

"Yeah. Try the Gryffindor tower. Maybe they're with their friends there," the shadow suggested. Kent grunted, and shuffled off. When the noises of his movements had finally exited hearing range, I slid out of the doorway.

"Thanks," I said breathlessly. "Who are you? Why did you lie like that? You don't even know me!" I exclaimed. His eyes glittered at me from the darkness. Then he stepped forward.

"I'm Blaise Zabini. I didn't lie: you weren't in the tower yet, and Creevey's back in Gryffindor. How do you know I don't know you?" His voice was direct and clear, tinted with…amusement?

"I've never spoken to you before in my life!" I said vehemently.

"They say that you can tell more about a person by watching them. After all, actions speak louder than words," Blaise said, examining me. His expression was unreadable in the dimness of the corridor. I nodded.

"I guess," I responded warily. Then my curiosity perked up. "Say, what have you noticed from watching Dennis and me?" I inquired with interest.

"Dennis is intelligent and intuitive, but shy. He doesn't like starting arguments or fights, and he does not like to socialize outside of his own circle. If it weren't for you, he wouldn't even have a best friend," Blaise told me seriously. "You, however, are outgoing and protective. You will fight for what you believe in, but have a tendency to overreact every now and then. You are also intelligent, and your best subject is Arithmancy." I know my eyes got wide at this. How could he possibly know? He was a full two years older than I, and a Slytherin to boot!

"Why watch Dennis and me? There's plenty of people to look at besides two half-blood Gryffindors. You know, people _your age_," I said, watching his eyes intently. They grew somewhat steely at my comment about half-bloods.

"There are some Slytherins who do not share the popular house-opinion of wizarding families. I am one of them. Now, I believe it is time to leave this particular area of the grounds before Flint and Kent get back here." Blaise looked at me oddly.

"What?" I asked defensively. He shook his head.

"Nothing," Blaise turned and began to stalk down the corridor ahead of me, pausing every now and then to listen. We reached an exit quickly. "I'm walking you back to Gryffindor. They won't mess with you if they see me in the vicinity," Blaise sighed.

"I'm a big girl, I can go it alone," I told him, glaring.

"I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself against one of them. But both of them? Once they figure out that you and your friend aren't hanging round the pitch anymore, they'll head for the castle. Flint isn't one to drop a grudge, and you hit him pretty hard!"

"You saw?" I gasped.

"Just the damage," Blaise answered moving ahead of me. I'm not positive, but I think that a smile ghosted on his lips. 

We walked across the grounds together, Blaise slightly ahead of me. From behind, I noted with satisfaction his height, complimented by broad shoulders that filled out his dark shirt nicely. Definitely easy on the eyes! Soon, we reached the castle and entered its coolness. Instead of up the stairs, Blaise led me into the dungeons and around several corners until we came to a large, African-style statue on the wall. Blaise tapped it with his wand.

"Interro," he whispered. The statue moved to the side and I saw a stairway leading up. "Come on!" he tugged my arm. I followed him on the stairs, and to my surprise, the steps moved as soon as both of us were on them! The door closed behind us, inviting darkness to cover our ascension. Soon, however, I remembered my wand.

"Lumos," I said, pulling it out. Blaise turned to face me.

"Don't like the dark?" he inquired.

"It's not that I don't _like_ it," I explained. "Just that I don't like moving with the aid of something magical that I never knew existed in the company someone I never spoke to in my life!" Blaise laughed. I smiled in return, realizing that what I'd just spouted sounded something like a lecture.

"You're something else, Erin," he said, touching my shoulder. Soon we reached the top of the stairway-type thing, and the steps halted gently, causing me to stumble slightly. Blaise steadied me with his hand as I wobbled, and then pushed through a door in front of him. 

We stepped out in front of a portrait of a girl sitting on a staircase. I chuckled when I saw it, and the girl jumped hurriedly to her feet, waving energetically at Blaise and me. Looking around, I found that we were in fact only a few portraits down from the Fat Lady and the entrance to Gryffindor tower. Blaise turned to me.

"Be careful, now. Watch your back. And in the future, try a good hex or two instead of using your fists. Try Hexes or All Occasions, by Richard Wiley. Those will put _anyone_ out of commission for an hour or two," Blaise remarked, looking down at me with an expression of soft mirth.

I looked up into his eyes. They were this dark blue color, so dark they looked nearly black, with infinitesimal specks of gold. "I will," I told him seriously. "Um, thanks for walking me back. I really appreciate it."

"Sure," Blaise shrugged. "Anytime. Toddle off now, better get back to your commons. Don't want to be trampled by the Quidditch teams returning, eh?" I walked over to the portrait and whispered the password to the pink-clad woman. I could feel Blaise's eyes on me as the portrait swung open, and when I peeked around the picture, I saw him still standing there. He saw me looking and gave a slight wave of his hand. I am certain that I blushed, because I could feel my ears burning, but I slid into the common room quickly, greeted by an agitated Dennis Creevey.

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translation:

*"You go that way, I'll look this way," he directed. "When you find one of them, beat 'em to a pulp. Then find me. And Kent, try to be quiet about it, you know? They're too wimpy to tell a teacher, but still…*"


	2. Chapter Two, In Which I Must Explain Mys...

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Chapter 2- In Which I Must Explain Myself

"Where have you been!" Dennis demanded as I entered the common room. "I was sure they'd got you. You do realize how terribly stupid it was for you to haul off and slug him like that, the great brute. I am quite capable of ignoring insults. S'not like 'Mudblood' is much of an insult anyway.

I mean, look at Hermione! She's been picked on for years by those idiot Slytherins and she's smarter than all of them put together times three!"

"If you have finished your speech, Dennis, I will explain," I said snottily. Dennis huffed in an irritated way, but eventually I managed to get him sitting down. I then proceeded to explain about Blaise Zabini.

"Incredible," Dennis breathed when I'd finished. "Absolutely dashing! Are you sure he was a Slytherin?"

"Yes," I answered firmly. "I've seen him around. He always seemed a bit distant from most of the other Slytherins, though. He hangs around with Pansy Parkinson and another guy. Can't remember his name," I said thoughtfully.

"If I were you, Erin MacGillian, I would find out just a wee bit more about this mysterious Mr. Zabini," Dennis cautioned his friend.

"He seemed so sincere. It was like I was meeting a bug brother or something, you know?" I thought about the way he'd just pointed Kent off in another direction then escorted me all the way up through the castle. He even showed me a shortcut. "I bet that stairway comes in handy!" I exclaimed to Dennis. Dennis just stared off into space, considering recent events. Suddenly, a group of rowdy people swept into the room, laughing and talking at once.

"Unbelievable!" crowed Dean Thomas.

"Excellent catch, Harry!" Ron Weasley said with great approval.

"I hope your girlfriend'll treat you alright after this. They were defeated pretty well!" exclaimed Lavender jokingly.

"Stand still everyone! I need a picture!" cried a skinny, pale boy , holding out his camera. 

"Sure Colin," Ginny Weasley said kindly. "Come one you guys, pose nicely!" A flash of bright light left the group of excited students blinking furiously for a few moments.

"Cho said she wouldn't let anything that happened during Quidditch affect her feelings for me, okay?" Harry Potter told his friend with the air of one who was explaining something for the millionth time. "Honestly Lavender, you know she isn't dumb like that! Hey, where's Hermione?" the tall boy inquired, looking around.

"She went down to the kitchens to get us some post-game party snacks," Ron answered with a grin. "Now _that's_ a good girlfriend." Ginny elbowed him in the side.

"I bet that's not all she's good for," she teased her brother. Ron blushed with a lopsided smile. 

"Most certainly!" admonished a new voice. A tall, brown-haired girl swept through the portrait-hole, carrying a large, lumpy bundle.

"Hermione! Excellent!" exclaimed Seamus Finnegan. "Lemme help you with that," he offered, taking the bundle from her. Hermione promptly turned to her boyfriend and threw her arms around his neck.

"Awwwwww…" sighed the entire group of teenagers teasingly. Hermione stuck her tongue out at the room in general. Ron just blushed again, sliding his arms around her back, holding her close. I watched them from the corner of my eye, almost sadly, pretending to watch the fire burning in front of me.

Dennis patted me on the back and I looked at him gratefully. His intuition was a nice thing to have around every now and then. Dennis Creevey was the only person on the planet who knew about my tiny crush on Ronald Weasley and my longing for a relationship for than 'just friends.'

"Come on, Erin, let's play some chess," he offered, drawing me off of the squishy sofa to a table occupied by a chessboard and a ragtag bunch of mouthy chess pieces. We played for a good half hour before I finally beat him.

"Checkmate," I grinned at him as his king fell over with a theatrical gasp. 'You let me win, didn't you."

"'Course not!" Dennis said in mock disbelief. "Moi? Never. Do you want something to munch on?"

"Sure. thanks," I said as he stood up. Dennis disappeared for a minute and returned two cups of punch and two plates of various snacks suspended on a tray in midair. Dennis flicked his wand, and the tray lowered itself to the table and evaporated, leaving the cups and plates between us. 

"Cool, huh?" he grinned at my brightened expression. "Flitwick taught it to me after class one day last week. Just an excuse to show off!" We laughed and dug in, occasionally talking to people who floated by our table.

"Hey Neville! How's Eloise?" I inquired of the older boy. 

"Oh, she's dong alright," he replied. "Thanks."

"Tell her I said hi," I responded with a smile.

"Sure," Neville replied and trundled off to water a lone jumping bean plant on a windowsill. The plant's pot was bouncing up and down on the hard stone. As Neville approached it, the pot began to bounce higher and higher until t seemed that the pot would break at any second. Neville managed to sedate the bobbing weed with a well aimed stream of water shot from the tip of his wand. Dennis and I applauded as the pot settled back onto the windowsill without so much as a crack on its pot.

"Bravo!" Dennis congratulated. Neville bowed with a small smile and a wave, then moved away. I yawned behind my hand and looked tiredly over at Dennis.

"I guess I better get to bed, Dennis. Sorry I can't make it a late night, but you know how I'd be in the morning if I stay up any later than it already is." I said apologetically.

"No problem Erin," Dennis assured me. He walked me over to the stairs leading to the girl's dormitories. "Good night," he patted my shoulder gently. "Don't dwell on things too much, Erin," he advised. "Honest, I know there's at least one person who is noticing you now and thinking 'Yum, I wish she was mine!'"

"Thanks, Dennis," I sighed. "I just wish I knew who it was!" Dennis laughed. I turned up the stairs and made my way up to the fifth door which opened into a large room holding three large four-poster beds. Amanda Beilhart and Eunice Midgen lay on their beds reading. I flopped over on my own and kicked off my shoes onto the floor.

"Hey girls! Anything new?" I asked.

"Not really," Eunice answered. "How was the game?"

"I dunno how it finished, except that we won," I answered. "I had to leave during the middle of it due to unfortunate…erm…distractions."

"Not Flint again?" Amanda moaned.

"The same," I sighed. "He was picking on Dennis again, so I slugged him. Broke his nose," I smirked in satisfaction.

"They never stop do they?" Amanda complained.

"I know. Those Slytherins are just so nasty. I hate having to sit near them during classes. Can you believe," Eunice exploded, "this whole unity thing Dumbledore's been going on about? I mean, being a whole unit that works together instead of apart is great, but not when I have to sit next to that Michael Pritchard character. You'd think," she said "that a kid with a younger brother would be nicer, but _nooooo_."

I giggled. "Sounds like he's a favorite of yours! Who's his brother?"

"Graham. He's in fourth year. Cute, for a Slytherin, but doesn't hold a candle to the older boys," Amanda answered contemplatively.

"Like who," I asked curiously.

"Oh!" Eunice giggled. "Like Draco. He's evil, but dead sexy. And that Zabini character…what's his first name?"

"Blaise," I answered quietly. For some reason, the fact that someone else found Blaise Zabini attractive made me uncomfortable. "Gee guys, I really oughta go to bed. See you in the morning, I guess," I yawned. 

"G'night!" chorused my friends, still giggling quietly on their beds. I drew my curtains and lay back on my pillow, thinking. Why did the idea of Amanda and Eunice liking Blaise agitate me so much? Didn't I have a crush on Ron? I fell asleep minutes later and slept deeply, dreaming of a tall, silent shadow.


	3. Chapter Three, In Which I Receive A Warn...

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Chapter 3- In Which I Receive A Warning

I woke late Sunday morning, and headed down to breakfast rubbing sleep from my eyes. I entered the great hall and turned to the Gryffindor table, pass in the Slytherin table on my way to sit down. I felt eyes watching me as a I passed, and when I turned, I saw Blaise Zabini's unwavering gaze meeting my own. I felt my face grow warm again, but I made sure to sit facing the Slytherin table, telling myself it was because I didn't like the feeling being watched.

"Hey Erin, sleep late?" Hermione Granger asked kindly. "Here, have some hash." She offered a bowl of warm potatoes, which I took gratefully.

"Good Morning Erin," chimed Colin with a smile. "Don't worry, I don't have my camera this morning…no pictures of you with bad hair!" I gasped and brought my hands to my head, then giggled as I realized he'd been teasing. I stuck my tongue out and poured myself a goblet of pumpkin juice.

"You all did notice it's a Hogsmeade day today, right?" Harry Potter asked.

"Must have missed the memo," Dennis said, sitting down next to me. "G' Morning everyone!"

"Hey Dennis," I chirped, passing him the hash. "pile it on…it'll be a long day, assuming you want to go to Hogsmeade at all."

"Why do anything else?" Dennis asked jokingly. "I've finished my Potions homework, and my Advanced Medicine assignment, so I should be set." We set to work planning our visit to the wizarding village. 

"What do you want to hit first?"

"How bout heading to Script and Kurl's for some school supplies, and there's a new book I wanted to take a look at. Then, maybe the Three Broomsticks?" Dennis suggested.

"Sounds great. Can we try Honeyduke's next? Then maybe over to the Owl Post Office so that I can send a singing message to my folks via one of those Message Mynas."

"Sure," Dennis agreed. "After that, do you just want to wander around some? A few of the houses over there have really pretty gardens."

"Good idea," I concurred. Then our chatter was interrupted by a sneering drawl at the head of the table.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't our little friend, Erin MacGillian," Draco Malfoy drawled. "I hope you realize just how seriously you've injured my top keeper. Watch yourself, Mudblood." Malfoy turned to leave. Ron leapt angrily to his feet.

"How dare you threaten her, ferret-boy!" he challenged, hands curling into fists.

"You watch who _you_ threaten, Weasel," Malfoy sneered. 

"It's okay, Ron," I said quickly. "Just sit down. I can take care of myself." Malfoy laughed coldly, and walked away. I watched the Slytherin table as Malfoy sat down. Many of the students cheered him, but I saw that Blaise had straightened in his chair and was eyeing Malfoy with a definite air of disdain. Somehow, just that made me feel better even than Ron challenging Malfoy over the name-calling. Was it possible that I no longer harbored feelings for Ron? Dennis now watched me intently, noting silently every expression that crossed my face. I drew my attention from the Slytherin table to my best friend.

"Dennis, what do you say we head back up to the tower…I have some…erm…stuff to do," I said lamely. 

"Yeah, sure," Dennis agreed, looking at me concernedly. We rose from the table, and departed the Great Hall quickly. I led him through the dungeons to the statue and opened the statue. As we started up the stairway, I was sure I'd heard footsteps in the corridor next to ours, but decided not to worry about it. The statue slid shut, and the steps began to move. 

"Wow!" Dennis whispered excitedly. "This is brilliant!"

"Just wait," I hushed him. When the steps stopped moving at the door, I pressed my ear to the door and listened intently. Hearing nothing, I pushed through the portrait and led Dennis out into the corridor. 

"Excellent," Dennis declared quietly. "Come on." He began to head for the Fat Lady. As he steppe ahead of me, I was sure I'd heard a click behind the portrait that I'd just shut. I stepped forward, then pretended to trip. Dennis paused, and turned toward me.

"You okay?" he asked, starting to come help me up.

"Yeah. Go on, I'll be a minute. Have to double-knot my shoes." I answered. He nodded, but I could tell he knew something was going on. As soon as he was inside the Gryffindor common room, I raced down the empty hallway and slid into an abandoned doorway, watching to see if anyone would come out of the secret passageway. Momentarily, it opened and I watched silently as Blaise Zabini, stepped forward. He stood and listened for any sound, then turned in my direction and walked unconcernedly forward, allowing the portrait to swing shut behind him. As he passed my doorway, I spoke.

"You're losing your touch," I joked. Blaise jumped slightly, then relaxed and gave me an amused look.

"What makes you say that?" he queried.

"I could tell someone was behind us as soon as we entered the dungeon!" I exclaimed. So I was exaggerating, big deal. Blaise just huffed in mock annoyance. "Why did you follow us? You hadn't finished your breakfast."

"The sight of dear old Draco chased off my appetite," Blaise said gruffly. "If I were you, I wouldn't head of to Hogsmeade without someone older," he cautioned.

"Why not? As I told ferret-head, I can take care of myself!" I shot heatedly.

"Not against several more experienced students, you can't. All of them versed in Dark Magic, too. No, you should either stay in your tower or hang out with your older friends. Malfoy is at least…wary of troubling them." Blaise's eyes glittered with purpose. I could tell he was serious. 

"Yeah, well, thanks for the warning. Better toddle off now, before someone gets ideas, hmmm?" I said. In retrospect, I suppose I was being unreasonable, but I do so despise knowing there are things that I can't do. Blaise nodded, like I'd just confirmed a secret suspicion. I turned and stormed over to the portrait. I heard Blaise walk away down the hall, and as I opened the house door, I watched him stride gracefully away. I sighed, and stepped into the bright common room.


	4. Chapter Four, In Which I Make A Bad Deci...

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Chapter 4- In Which I Make A Bad Decision

"He said we shouldn't go to Hogsmeade unless we go with an older student. Apparently, the rodent and his cronies may be planning something," I told Colin. We sat in opposite armchairs, alone in the empty common room. Sunlight spilled in the open windows, carrying with it the scent of early springtime and good weather. 

"It's such a beautiful day, though!" Colin sighed, as a breeze wafted through the room. He looked longingly outside. "It would be a shame to stay inside."

"I don't know about hanging with the older kids, though," I said. "Hermione and Ron will probably want to be alone, and I bet you anything Harry already has plans. I know Ginny is staying at the castle today, and Neville isn't any good in a crisis anyway. What about your brother?" I asked suddenly.

"Colin has stuff to do. He messed up a potion or something, and Snape is using today for his detention thing," Dennis sighed. 

"Snape needs his bloody head examined," I grumbled. "Well, we have a choice to make. We either follow Blaise's advice and stay home like good little children, or we don't and run the risk that Malfoy has something planned!" I said mischievously. Dennis raised his eyebrows. 

"So you want to go anyway?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yes!" I burst out. "Who says we have anything to worry about? We'll be in lain view of adults anywhere we go. Honestly! Come on, Dennis," I pleaded. "Please say you'll come!" Dennis sighed, resigned.

"Ok," he assented. "We'll go. But don't go wandering off, okay? We have to stick together, just in case." I agreed immediately, and we quickly began gathering the necessary items for a trip to Hogsmeade. 

The sun shone brightly overhead, and lazy clouds drifted across the sky. Hogsmeade was filled with the sounds of people laughing and talking. Nothing threatening seemed evident anywhere. 

"Zabini was probably just being paranoid or something," Dennis said at last. We walked slowly past shops bursting with color and noise until we reached Script and Kurl's. Stepping inside the cool shop, a scent of paper and ink greeted us. I hunted through a jar of brightly colored quills, selecting a few, and I found a bottle of ink that changes colors when you write with it. Dennis found himself a book entitled Medicinal Advances of Our Time, by Gotta Maladie. We purchased our supplies and left the shop again, nodding to Professor Trelawney, who swept in as we were leaving.

Dennis and I made our way to the Three Broomsticks, and finding an unoccupied table, sat down. A waitress swung over to us and took our orders. 

"Butterbeer, please," said Dennis.

"I'd like an Imp, please," I said to the woman with a smile. "Thanks." She moved away, leaving Dennis and I to survey the interior of the bustling pub. I looked over to the door and stood up, seeing a friend from school. 

"I'll be right back, Dennis. I have to go talk to Yolanda." I left the pub, back into the sunlight. I looked around and spotted my friend entering Honeyduke's down the road. I tried to hurry, but a large group of students moved past, forcing me to the side of the road a s a large cloud covered the sun. I kept moving, passing houses separated by little alleyways. As I moved to cross the road to the candy store, I heard a pitiful mewling coming from an alley. I turned to see a kitten, sitting forlornly by itself, looking up at me with round, silvery eyes.

Unable to resist, I moved toward the tiny creature, but it moved away. I moved closer. It sounded like it had been hurt! Was it limping? The kitten moved away, drawing me down the alley, past three houses. The cat sped up and disappeared around a corner a few feet away. When I moved to follow, I found myself out of sight of anyone, behind a ramshackle old house. 

"Kitty?" I called. "Where are you?" I turned around, but heard a rustle behind me. Instead of a cat, I turned to see three figures cloaked in black.

"Now!" came the command. Malfoy's voice was unmistakable. Likewise were the grunts issued from the other two cloaked shapes. Vincent Crabbe on the right, Gregory Goyle on the left. Perfect. Blaise had been right! Now was I in for it… The figures advanced on me, blocking off any escape. I backed away, but found myself pressed against rough wood. Scared out of my wits, I settled into a fighting position, but froze in place as a wand was pointed at me.

"Don't move," ordered the cold voice. Malfoy removed his hood. "Scared now, aren't you?" He drawled icily. "I think it's time to have some fun." He flicked his wand, and I felt myself turn to the wall behind me. I couldn't stop myself! I beat my head against the wall several times, very hard, and then turned around as my legs moved out from under me. I rolled on the ground in pain as Crabbe and Goyle lashed out at me with their overly large feet. Malfoy raised his hand and they abated. He stepped forward, towering over me. I whimpered as he raised his wand again, but a familiar voice cried out before he could do anything.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall came around the corner, flanked by Hermione and Dennis. Malfoy turned to run, but before he could move, the Transfiguration professor had him locked in place, along with Crabbe and Goyle. "I can't believe this! I had no idea any student of Hogwarts could be so cruel. Mr. Creevey, alert the Hogsmeade medics. Miss Granger, please find Professor Snape. He is most likely in the Apothecary." Hermione and Dennis hurried away. I shut my eyes as a wave of pain hit me. Professor McGonagall raised her wand and with a whispered incantation, a stretcher lifted me from the ground. Then everything faded into black and I knew no more.


	5. Chapter Five, In Which My Mistake Takes ...

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Chapter 5- In Which My Mistake takes A Turn For The Better

I awoke an hour later to find several worried faces clustered around me as I lay tucked snugly into a crisp hospital bed. 

"Whatever possessed you," Hermione breathed, when she noticed my eyes were open. "to run off like that, when you'd been specifically warned not to?" I looked around without answering, noting everyone in the confines of the closed off area where my bed was. I saw Dennis, of course, and Colin, as well as Harry, Ron, Neville, his girlfriend Eloise, Eunice, Amanda, Lavender, Parvati, Seamus, Dean, several of the younger students, and the aforementioned Hermione. 

"There was this cat," I tried to explain. "It looked so pitiful, there in the alley. It had such beautiful silver eyes…"

"And you couldn't see right through it?" Ron exploded. He was ready to hit someone…namely Malfoy. 

"Shh, Ron," Dennis admonished. "You'll get us thrown out. Besides, it's not like she was particularly _expecting_ to be led away from everyone and mauled by huge Slytherin dolts! I took all your stuff back to Gryffindor, Erin, and Amanda put it on your desk."

"Thanks," I said quietly. I tried to sit up, but when I moved, pain shot through my side, so I hissed and lay still. Madam Pomfrey Bustled in soon after.

"Out!" she barked. "Everybody out!" She began to take my temperature as my friends left the enclosure, glancing back at me apologetically. "Don't worry dear, you should be fine by tomorrow," Madam Pomfrey told me, patting my hand gently. "Those boys gave you quite a time, but they're being dealt with _most_ severely. The Headmaster wishes to speak with you after I've finished my treatment." She huffed in annoyance. "I _asked_ him to wait until tomorrow, but _nooo_, of course it had to be now!" 

The nurse tugged my shirt up a little, and I gasped at the bruises covering my side. So _that's_ why it hurt! Come to think, of it, my head hurt too. I raised my hand and touched my forehead, but my fingertips only brushed a linen bandage. Come to think of it, my head did hurt some…

"You've got some nasty bruising, with a possibility of cracked ribs, and your forehead is bruised and cut. Just drink this," she held out a tiny vial of blue liquid, "and with anti-inflammatory charms, you'll be in class tomorrow. Here comes the Headmaster," she told me. "Drink up!" I choked down the bitter blue potion as the Headmaster passed the curtain and conferred quietly with Madam Pomfrey. She turned and flicked her wand in my direction, and I immediately felt the bruising ebb.

"Lovely, work, Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore complimented the nurse. "Erin," he said gravely, sitting down. "I understand you had a run-in with some older students this morning."

"Yes," I said.

"Will you tell me the circumstances of the event, please?" he requested. "Any background information…"

"Malfoy threatened me this morning because I hit Jeremy Flint yesterday. He insulted Dennis, so I slugged him," I explained simply, reddening slightly. "Someone came after me when I left the Great Hall to day, and insinuated there might be trouble, but I decided to ignore his advice, and went to Hogsmeade only with Dennis. We were in the Three Broomsticks for a break when I saw Yolanda Duran outside, and I wanted to ask her about some Herbology homework, so I went outside to find her. I passed an alley on my way to find her, and there was this cat in the alley. It was so cute! I followed past a bunch of houses and around a corner, where it promptly disappeared. I looked around, but didn't see it. When I turned to leave, there were these three figures cloaked in black and when the tallest one spoke, I recognized it immediately as Malfoy." Here I paused and Dumbledore looked at me intently.

"What did he do then?"

"He, Crabbe and Goyle cut off escape and I ended up backed against the wall of this old house. Malfoy did some sort of spell that made my body function separately from my mind, and I banged my head against the wall a lot before falling over. Crabbe and Goyle proceeded to kick me, and when they stopped, Malfoy stepped over and was just about to do something else when Professor McGonagall showed up. She froze them, and sent Hermione and Dennis off to find people and then I blacked out." I watched Dumbledore's face as he considered what I'd said.

"May I assume," he asked politely, "that the 'someone' who proffered advice was Blaise Zabini, of Slytherin?"

"How did you know?" I asked with interest.

"In part because it was he who informed the Professor McGonagall that you were in trouble." My eyes got wide. 

"How else?" I asked.

"I simply asked the portraits!" Dumbledore chuckled. My head was spinning. Blaise, again, come to my rescue. How many times would I end up owing him? What would he think of me now? Dumbledore rose and with a few words of thanks, he left my 'cubicle' and I heard him speaking to Madam Pomfrey. Soon, she bustled back in.

"Time for you to rest, dear," she said. I noticed that my headache was gone. Madam Pomfrey left my bedside and I was left alone to stare at the ceiling. I closed my eyes, and minutes passed in silence until I heard something move by my bed. My eyes flew open as Blaise Zabini came abruptly into view, some sort of cape held in his hands.

"How could you?" he asked, voice shaking in anger. "I _told_ you to stay with someone. Why didn't you listen to me?" 

"Blaise," I said, "I didn't mean to get beat up! It was just that I didn't think I had anything to worry about, and that blasted cat…"

"Oh, so it's just that you think you're immortal, is that it?" Blaise asked, looking at me.

"No!" I exclaimed, hurt. "I just didn't think he'd actually _do_ anything!"

"Malfoy isn't one to make idle threats," Blaise told me, his anger beginning to recede. "Next time, _trust_ the people who have experience with him, and _trust_ that I know what I'm talking about! When I saw you go darting down the alley, I ran for a teacher. I know even _I_ couldn't stand against Malfoy in evil mode! Then, when I saw them float you out of there on the stretcher…" Blaise trailed off.

"You were _that_ worried?" I asked, much surprised. "I mean anything at all to you?"

"Erin…" Blaise's cool fingertips brushed my hand. Our eyes met, and I felt like I could just _drown_ in those deep blue depths. I felt my eyes closing as his face lowered to mine, and then our lips met softly. His lips were warm and gentle, and I sighed with noiseless contentment when he pulled away. 

Blaise looked at me in silence for a moment more, then pulled the cape over himself and left without another word. Invisibility cloak, registered part of my mind, but I ignored it, finding It much easier to sleep now, and I drifted off momentarily. 


	6. Chapter Six, In Which I Am Quite Recover...

****

Chapter 6- In Which I Am Recovered And I Have A Chat With Harry

I woke up late the next morning, and the first thing I remembered once I returned fully to a conscious state was the expression in Blaise's eyes as he'd parted the curtain and left the hospital, flicking the invisibility cloak deftly over his shoulders. They'd held a mixture of what seemed to be satisfaction, worry, and perhaps even…love? I shook my head. How could he possibly consider kissing me? I was the unattractive, intellectual type, two years younger than Blaise, and a half-blood to boot.

But hadn't Blaise hinted that that didn't matter to him? I rolled off the bed onto my feet and straightened the bed sheets half-heartedly. I peeked down my pajamas and found that the bruising was entirely gone. Aside from a bit of stiffness, nothing felt particularly out of the ordinary. I reached up and felt the bandage on my head. Turning around, I noticed a mirror on my bedside table that I hadn't noticed before. I picked it up and looked into it, taking in the wide-eyed girl staring back. 

My skin was a bit pale, so my few freckles stood out slightly. I looked farther up the reflection and noticed that my hair was a complete disaster. the bandage stood way out on my forehead, of course, sort of like the injured soldier extras from old John Wayne war movies. Ick. Is this what I'd looked like last night? And Blaise had still bothered to kiss me. I looked at the mirror, disbelief rising in my eyes. Either I didn't look as bad as the mirror was telling me, or Blaise was playing some sort of game I hadn't received the rules too. Very odd, either way. Soon, Madam Pomfrey bustled in.

"Why didn't you _say_ something, dear?" Madam Pomfrey inquired kindly. "I would have come in earlier! Let me check my handiwork…" 

"Oh!" I said. "Yeah. Um, yeah." I lifted my shirt up a very tiny bit and she nodded happily.

"Very good. And your head?" She removed the bandage gently. "Lovely! You'll have marks until tomorrow, but then all signs will be gone." The nurse snapped her fingers, and a house elf appeared at her side. "Loby, please fetch a light breakfast tray for Miss MacGillian." The house elf disappeared as quickly as she had arrived, but was back before I could blink twice, steadily holding a silver tray laden with food.

"Thanks," I said, as Loby slid the tray onto the bedside table. I realized that the mirror had vanished. 

"You're welcome, miss," squeaked the house elf tinnily, looking very uncomfortable. Madam Pomfrey nodded at her, and Loby dissolved with a small pop.

I ate my breakfast quickly, and with Madam Pomfrey's permission, I left the hospital and headed for Gryffindor tower. Luckily, not many people were hanging around the hallways, but the ones that were looked at me very strangely. It wasn't until I reached the common room that I noticed the light green pajamas that I still wore. I sighed and shook my head, but before I could open the portrait, someone else opened it from the other side.

"Oh, hey Erin!" It was Keana, a third year girl, originally from somewhere south of England. She wore a turban loosely on her head, and under her robes, I knew she was dressed in bright fabric filled with lively patterns. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, thanks." I said, smiling in a dazed sort of way. "What are you still hanging around for?"

"Classes got postponed," Keana informed me seriously. "I thought you'd heard! They caught an intruder on the grounds last night. A dangerous one. Some people are saying it's one of you-know-who's inside men!" I gasped inwardly. If they were sneaking around again…several people I knew could be in danger. No, _were_ in danger! 

Keana hurried off o the library, hoping to get ahead on a homework assignment, and I entered the tower, thinking worriedly to myself. Harry, Hermione, Ron, possibly Ginny: they were all on the danger list. Harry's encounters with the Dark Lord were definitely getting more dangerous. Last year, he'd again almost died again when you-know-who recovered enough from Harry's fifth year attack on him. There'd been a whole lot of speculation afterwards, but I never really got the details. This year, it was bound to be even more dangerous, with the possible downfall of either or both of the great wizards. 

thinking about this as I made my way slowly to my dorm, I realized that with so many students at Slytherin with evilly-influenced parents, there could be some danger for Blaise's "few students" who didn't see exactly eye-to-eye with Draco Malfoy's views. Did he know? Probably, but nonetheless. After I'd dressed, and had an amiable chat with Eunice, who was reading on her bed, I began to compose a note to Blaise. 

"Eunice," I began, thinking of something. "Do you know of a secluded spot where one could meet someone to swap information?"

"Ooh," she said with interest. "Does it involve a boy?"

"Perhaps," I answered with a straight face.

"Hmmm. Well, you could always try the laundry chambers. They're empty every day after 10 in the morning. It's a perfect spot for a meeting…or whatever." She raised her eyebrows at me suggestively.

"Very funny," I scowled. "How does one actually _get_ to the said laundry chambers?" I asked.

"You know where the portrait of the fruit bowl is, the entrance to the kitchens?" When I nodded, she continued. "Okay, well if you turn left from there and walk a little ways, you come to an apparent dead-end. It's sort of like a round-about, cuz' there's a statue of Agrippa or whoever in the center. If you walk clockwise around the statue three times and stop by her left pinky toe. Tug it gently, and a door should appear on the wall behind you. Is that precise enough?" she joked.

"Thanks," I said gratefully, and hurried to write it into the note. Seeking to make sure my directions were clear, I read the note to myself.

__

Blaise,

I have to talk to you. It's urgent! Please meet me in the laundry rooms around 11:30 tonight. Find the statue of Agrippa, and walk clockwise three times round it. tug her left toe and go through the door. You might want to bring your invisibility cloak.

~ Erin ~

Pleased, I folded the note and sealed it, then headed up to the owlery where I sent the note with a small tawny owl that hooted happily at me when I entered the musty tower. I watched the owl swoop out of the window, and I sighed. What-ifs began to fog my brain. What if he never showed up? What if he was just playing with me? What if something happened before I could find him? I left the owlery troubled.

As I wandered the halls aimlessly, I came upon Harry, also wandering. He seemed to be lost in thought, and I paused near him, wondering if I should say anything to him. But in the end, my need to talk overcame doubts about interrupting anything, partly because he noticed I was looking at him and smiled.

"Erin," he said warmly. "How are you?"

"Better than last night," I said, smiling a little in return. "Where's Ron and Hermione?"

"Off together," he told me with a lopsided smile. "What's bothering you?" he inquired. "You look upset."

"Well," I paused, unsure if he really wanted to know, or was just asking to be polite.

"Come on," he said, reaching out and touching my arm. "Let's go to the common room where we can talk." We walked together, relatively silent, reaching the tower quickly.

"So," he said as we sank into squashy red armchairs. "Tell me about it."

"There's this guy," I began. "I haven't known him long, but he says he's known me for ages. He's been watching me. I know, cuz'' he said so. Anyway, he's been really nice to me, but I didn't know if he's really interested or just being nice or being a jerk! It's so utterly confusing! And now with the whole intruder thing, a bunch of people I know might be in danger and I'm worried that he's one of them and…"

"Whoa!" Harry said, raising his eyebrows and leaning back. "You sound pretty stressed! Could I have some specifics perhaps? Like, who exactly are you worried about. And who's the guy?"

"Well, you and Hermione and Ron and Ginny, mostly. But Blaise said there were people in Slytherin who don't think that being half-blood is bad, and I'm worried about them too!" I said. "In fact, I'm not quite sure why I'm worried about most of them, because I don't even know who they are!"

"Blaise?" Harry asked. "As in Blaise Zabini, the Slytherin seventh year?" 

"Yeah," I said with a small laugh. I hadn't meant to let that one out so soon, but too late. He sorta saved my butt at the Quidditch game on Saturday. And again at Hogsmeade." I explained about Blaise, carefully omitting the encounter in the hospital and the owl I'd just sent. "It's almost like he's following me around, but I don't know why!" Harry whistled under his breath.

"Why exactly are you worried about Ginny, Hermione, and Ron?" Harry asked.

"And you," I added. "Because eof the intruder on the grounds! Keana told me that she'd heard he was one of the Dark Lord's people, and if they're trying to sneak in here again, that means the Dream Team is in danger, and all of their friends and relations, too!"

"But you didn't mention yourself at all," Harry said, watching me seriously. "In your list of people you're worried about," he clarified when I looked confused. 

"I guess I never thought about myself," I said, after thinking for a minute. "Gee. Now that you mention it, every non-pure-blood in the place is in a bad spot!" Harry considered this.

"I think your fears are well-placed," he told me. "But I don't think you need to take it quite so far. We don't know for sure yet who exactly the person they captured is yet, or any details about them. It's true that people could be in danger eventually, but until we know, you should try not to stress about it. I assume Blaise is one of the people who doesn't share the opinion that half-bloods are snot?" I nodded. "He sounds like someone worthy of your thoughts. And I'll see if I can't find out about his intentions toward you, okay?" I smiled weakly at Harry. 

"Thanks," I said. "I think I really needed to hear that."

"No problem," Harry said, standing up. "I'll see what I can find out, and you keep me informed on what you're thinking, okay? I better be off to the library, now, so I'll see you around." No sooner had Harry left the room, then I heard a tapping at the window across the common room. I hurried to open the window, letting in an excited owl, the same one I'd sent to Blaise. I opened the paper hurriedly, nearly desperate to see what his reply would be. Beneath my own message from before, I saw three words scrawled in silver ink.

__

Nice try, Mudblood.


	7. Chapter Seven, In Which A Mystery Is Sol...

****

Chapter 7- In Which A Mystery Is Solved and I Break Several School Rules

I couldn't believe it. I stared at the words on the parchment in my hand until they blurred together. Then I shut my eyes and sank into a chair. I'd been wrong about Blaise. _I _knew_ it!_ I thought angrily. _I knew there was something odd about his behavior, but I didn't think to question it. And now, look at me!_ Tears had begun to course slowly down my face. _Crying over a lying piece of scum._ I wiped my hands furiously over my eyes and ripped the parchment into tiny pieces before throwing them out the window where a breeze caught them and spun them away.

I watched the pieces flutter away, raining gently down on the brilliant green grass covering the castle lawn. It wasn't fair! How could he do that? He'd lied to me and led me on and…My thoughts were interrupted by the portrait door opening. I turned so whoever was coming in couldn't see my face, and I tried to sidle over to the girls dormitory stairs. 

"Erin?" It was Dennis. I tried to pretend like I hadn't heard, but Dennis knew better and came over to me. "Erin! What's wrong!" he exclaimed, putting an arm around me. The shred of self-control I had remaining tore, and I burst once more into tears. Between gasps, I explained the whole thing to Dennis, including the whole note thing. 

"What did you do with the note?" Dennis asked as he handed me a handkerchief.

"I t-tore it u-up!" I cried, "And I th-threw it o-out the w-w-window!"

"Oh, Erin," Dennis sighed. "If you'd waited, I could have analyzed the handwriting and determined who actually wrote it. Did you consider the possibility that Blaise didn't write it?"

"That's preposterous!" I spat, having finished my crying. "I sent it straight to Blaise!" Dennis and I sat in silence, thinking our separate thoughts until Hermione and Ron walked in, flushed and laughing. They sat down on a sofa across from us, and proceeded to cuddle before Hermione noticed the stormy looks on my face and Dennis's. 

"What happened?" Hermione asked with concern. Dennis did me the favor of explaining this time around, with supplements added by myself.

"Ooh, that bugger!" Ron exclaimed angrily when Dennis finished. "I'll get him for that!" 

"For what?" Harry asked, entering the room. this time, Ron and Hermione explained.

"You didn't tell me about the note!" Harry said, looking slightly amused. "You needn't be worrying though."

"And why not?" I asked, slightly offended. "I actually thought he cared!"

"He does," Harry said simply. "Here." He handed me a piece of parchment, sealed with a wax stamp. I tore it open and read the message inside. My face lit with excitement. 

_Erin,_

I will meet you in the laundry rooms on one condition. You must promise me that you'll never do anything as foolish as run off unaccompanied down strange alleys when you've been warned specifically not to!

-Blaise

"Oh!" I cried, much astonished. "How-?"

"I ran into Blaise in the library," Harry said. "He was using your message as a bookmark," Harry chuckled. "When I approached him about you, he closed his book and immediately wrote that message for me to give you. We left the library together, and had a nice conversation, mostly about you. He made me promise not to tell you what he said, though, at least not until he said I could, so now I have something to hold over your head!" I scowled at him. 

"Under the circumstances, I think someone should accompany you to the laundry rooms tonight. Namely, me," Harry said. 

"Harry," Dennis said suddenly. "Did Blaise take the book he was reading with him?"

"No," said Harry, thinking for a moment. "He didn't."

"Someone must have taken the letter, then!" Dennis exclaimed, punching me gently on the shoulder. "I_ told_ you, Erin!"

"Thanks Colin," I said, sticking my tongue out. "And thank you Harry! I exclaimed, flinging my arms around his neck, and managing to knock his glasses askew at the same time. 

"Sure," Harry chuckled again, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Let's meet down here at eleven thirty tonight. I'll bring my own invisibility cloak. I wonder how Blaise got his? I'll have to ask him at some point." Our happy little group dispersed, Colin and I traipsing off to visit Hagrid, who had just come into possession of some very interesting hamsters that Dennis wanted to see. 

That night, I paced nervously around my bed. I checked myself in the mirror hanging by the door to the dormitory several times, just to make sure I looked perfect. I was wearing a cute jean skirt and a light pink top that sparkled opalescently, complimenting my hair, which fell around my face in soft, wavy tendrils. I'd chosen platform slides, enchanted to match my top to complete the outfit. 

"Will you please stop pacing?" Amanda demanded with exasperation. "I've been watching you do it for the past half an hour! For the last time, you look great! Why are you worried?"

"What if he doesn't show?" I moaned.

"He'll be there," Amanda assured me. "Otherwise, he'll have lied to Harry Potter, and if anything pisses Harry off, that would be it!" I laughed, imagining Harry's face if we got there and Blaise didn't arrive. Finally, my delicate silver wristwatch read eleven ten, so I hurried down the staircase to meet Harry in the common room. It was empty save for Hermione, who appeared to be working on homework. Harry eventually descended the boys' staircase, and we left, covered by Harry's smooth invisibility cloak and accompanied by a whispered 'Good Luck!' from Hermione.

Harry and I wove through the corridors virtually noiseless. The castle was quite still, and torches barely guttered in their fastenings on the walls. Soon though, we reached the portrait of the fruit bowl and then the statue of Agrippa. 

"Okay," I whispered. "Here I go!" I slipped out from under Harry's cloak and walked around the statue three times clockwise before tugging on her toe. With a barely audible creak, a door opened behind me. Harry followed me inside, and the door shut.

"Lumos," Harry said, and a light blazed on the tip of his wand. We looked up at the shadowy globes suspended from the stone ceiling. "Oh!" my companion, chuckled, and clapped his hands. Pearly light suddenly glowed from the globes.

"Wizards have clap-lights?" I said with slight amazement.

"Only Dumbledore," Harry told me. "He thinks they're clever." I looked around the room, now illuminated and took in the washing basins lining the walls. I paced over to a room off the right and looked through the doorway. A pile of laundry lay haphazardly on the floor below a large hole in the wall. Laundry chute, I realized. The door to the laundry room opened then, and I turned.

Blaise walked into the room, his dark hair shining in the prismatic light. A deep green sweater hugged his shapely torso, and his blue jeans took nothing away from his long legs, and, I smiled to myself, his particularly nice rear end. 

"Potter," Blaise greeted Harry.

"Zabini," Harry returned. Then Blaise turned his gleaming gaze to me. 

"Hello, Erin," he said quietly. Harry left the room, glancing back at me with a secretive smile. 

"Hey Blaise," I said, blushing slightly. 

"So, what did you need so desperately to tell me?" Blaise asked, stepping toward me.

"Um," I said smartly. Blaise was very close to me now. I noticed that he smelled good…sort of a combination of old pine trees and cinnamon and was it-?

"Are you going to open your eyes and tell me?" Blaise asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. My eyes flew open. I hadn't actually realized that I'd shut them! 

"Yeah," I said. "Blaise, I just wanted to tell you to watch your back. I think that intruder on the grounds might be in with the Dark side, and if you don't exactly agree with their principles, you could be in danger…" I trailed off. Blaise was being very distracting! How did the room suddenly feel so small? Blaise reached out a rested his cool fingertips on my arm. Warmth shot through me, and I knew I was flushing again. I forced myself to meet his eyes, and was surprised yet again to see concern in his eyes.

"Thanks for the concern," Blaise said, "but why worry?"

"For the same reasons you look out for me!" I exclaimed still looking into his eyes. "Blaise, I…" And suddenly, I wanted to do something that I knew could be very stupid. But I did it anyway. Leaning forward, I closed my eyes, and kissed Blaise gently. His only response was to deepen the kiss, slipping his arms around my back. He ran his tongue tenderly over my lips and I flicked my own out to intertwine with it, sliding my hands into his soft, dark hair. We stood there, melting into each other until we were forced to pause for breath. Blaise's eyes gleamed warmly in the light.

"Oh, and Blaise," I said arms still around his neck. "Next time you get a letter from me, don't leave it in the library. Someone must have found it, because I got a nasty reply. It really had me going for a while!" 

"Sorry," Blaise laughed quietly, not sounding sorry at all. We kissed again, delicately. Suddenly, we heard noises outside the door. 

"Oh no!" I exclaimed. "Someone must have ratted us out!" I recognized the noises as Filch, the caretaker of the school. Blaise slipped over to the door where the pile of laundry was.

"Up there!" he said. "Quick!" He lifted me into the laundry chute and I scrambled up inside it. Blaise clapped his hands and the room was plunged into darkness as he clambered into the chute with me. We braced ourselves and held our breaths as Filch opened the door out in the main chamber


	8. Chapter Eight, In Which We Escape And Th...

****

Chapter Eight, In Which We Escape, And There's A Boy In The Girls' Dormitory

"Sniff around, my sweet," Filch grumbled. "They may be lurking in a corner." 

"Mrrrrow?" Mrs. Filch seemed to be asking a question.

"Yes, that's what young Mal-fop said," muttered Filch in reply. "And of course, _he's_ always right." Blaise and held as still as was humanly possible inside the laundry chute. We heard Mrs. Norris sniffing around the corners of the main chamber. Then she paused by the door to our room. I couldn't see her from my position behind Blaise, but I felt his back stiffen against me arm as we clung to the sides of the chute. 

"Prrt!" Mrs. Norris seemed to exclaim.

"Yes, my dear," Filch said in a voice that made shivers run up my spine. "Have you found them?" I heard him poke around in the laundry pile. Then he seemed to be attempting to peer inside the chute. "Are they up here, love?" It was very strange to hear Filch of all people use the "L" word. 

I saw something wave about in the chute's opening. Was it his hand? Apparently, because he soon stopped flapping it and said, "I don't think they're there, sweetheart. Perhaps they've left for fear of being caught! We'll get them for sure!" Filch sounded excited at the thought of handing out a terrible detention of some sort. He and Mrs. Norris left the room, and Blaise and I heard the door to the main chamber shut. 

We waited for long minutes until we were positive the two anxious searchers were well and truly gone, then dropped wearily to the ground into the pile of clothing. 

"That was close," I breathed, sliding down the cold stone wall to a sitting position. Blaise joined me on the floor.

"Yeah. I guess he hasn't conquered squib-dom yet, though, or we'd be toast and marmalade by now!"

"He's a squib?" I laughed. "Is that why he hates students so much?" 

"It's not that hard to figure out, if you watch him for a little while." Blaise said thoughtfully.

"What do you think of Mrs. Norris?" I asked curiously, wondering if he any speculations as to who, or what, she actually was.

"I happen to believe she is a filthy old fleabag who has a remarkable empathic ability," Blaise said with a half-smile.

"You have a way with words, Blaise," I giggled. Blaise flicked his silvery cloak over the two of us, and interlaced his cool fingers with my own warm ones. We left the laundry rooms as quietly as possible, and slipped up to Gryffindor, unaided by secret passageways. 

Even after Blaise had whisked furtively away from the Fat Lady's portrait, the glow of his presence didn't leave me. I felt warm and happy, even tingly, although I'm certain that phrase is quite cliched. Why is it that love feels so weird? Is this what it was? _Yes_, I admitted to myself. I was truly in love with Blaise Zabini.

I was sitting in an armchair in the common room, attempting vainly to focus on my book. My thoughts kept swirling back to Blaise's eyes as he'd leaned down to kiss me in front of Gryffindor Tower. So deep, so full of emotion…My daydream bubble was popped abruptly by the arrival of Professor McGonagall in the common room. Several of the Gryffindors also in the common room left hurriedly to fetch the other students. 

"Are we missing anyone?" Professor McGonagall queried. She was answered with murmurs of "No, professor," and head shaking. "Well, then," she began. "Several of the Professors, headed by the Headmaster, thoroughly interrogated the intruder we captured on the ground on Saturday night. He has been removed from the school, and is no longer a problem. In the meantime, however, no student is allowed to be out of his or her common room past nine-thirty without a pass and a teacher escort. I know many students believe they can handle anything that heads their way," the Professor glanced quickly at the older students, three in particular, "but may I remind you that this is for your own safety and that of your schoolmates. Any student found disobeying this rule will be _most_ severely punished, with a _most_ probable result of expulsion. I looked down at my book. This ruled out any plans for future late-night meetings with Blaise.

"Quidditch practice will be cut short so that students are inside the castle before nightfall and all practice sessions will be overseen by Madame Hooch and others. Games will be held in a special stadium that Dumbledore created in his spare time." At this, the Transfiguration teacher looked stern, as though Dumbledore should be doing other things in his moments of leisure. The Quidditch players however cheered, remembering all too well the two years when Quidditch had been all together canceled.

"As I'm sure you are all aware, All Hallows Eve is fast approaching," Professor McGonagall continued. "Due to circumstances, however, the previously scheduled activities must be postponed until further notice." A collective groan issued from the gathered students as the professor finished this statement. "Small, house celebrations will be allowed, but no out-of-house mingling. I'm sorry," the professor sighed. "I know you were all looking forward to this. No one expected them to start so early…" Professor McGonagall abruptly straightened and looked around with an 'I didn't really say that' look on her lined face. 

In all truthfulness, I had completely forgotten about the holiday that lay only two weeks away. Hogsmeade visits would most certainly be canceled…how disappointing! With no further ado, Professor McGonagall left the tower and returned to whatever it was she did on Monday mornings when school had been cancelled. Apparently, classes would be resuming tomorrow. I sighed and stood up. At least I'd have extra time today to complete my Potions essay on Picasso potions, a solution that'd make your features rearrange. I thought longingly of slipping one into Jeremy Flint's pumpkin juice. With a mental smile, I leapt up the stairs to my dormitory and reorganized my desk, sorting through a disorderly stack of parchment. 

Erin was just leaning back to relax a little, when a creak at her doorway made her look up. Dennis stood there, looking around. "Dennis!" I exclaimed in shock. He knew he wasn't supposed to be up here!

"I'm surprised you don't have all sorts of odd trinkets floating about," Dennis laughed. "I was under the impression that the girls had _special_ dorms!"

"Is that the only reason you're up here?" I inquired, leaning forward in my chair. 

"No," Dennis shook his head. "I wanted to know if you felt like joining me for a bit of homework. I'm having trouble with my Arithmancy…"

Several hours later, I lay on my bed. Dinner was over, and the latest curfew had just passed. Going out was _not_ an option, but I lay awake, tired but not particularly sleepy. I rolled over, pressing my face into the cool satiny duvet. Suddenly, I heard a small tapping noise, like a pebble against glass. I lay still, unsure if what I'd heard came from inside or outside of my head.

Yes, a tap was issuing from the window. I looked up just in time to see something bounce off of the lower left-hand pane of glass. I moved slowly over to the window and looked down. I saw nothing. I opened the window and stuck my head out, peering anxiously around. Nothing! Something bounced off of my head, and I looked up, irritated. All feelings of distress melted away when I saw Blaise looking anxiously down at me from his precarious perch on a gargoyle.

"May I come down?" he inquired politely.

"Er," I said smartly. "Yeah." Blaise dropped lightly to the windowsill as I moved back into the dormitory. My friends were still downstairs, but I had no idea when they'd be heading to bed. Blaise saw my worried expression as he entered the room.

"If anyone comes up here, I'll dive under the bed or something, okay?" Blaise's eyes were dancing. The thought of Blaise diving anywhere, without the aid of a broomstick, cracked me up. We both collapsed to the floor laughing.

"So, what do you think of this new curfew?" Blaise asked once we had regained our composure. 

"It sure didn't stop you any," I pointed out. Blaise smiled smugly and shrugged.

"'Course not," he said. "Who was going to stop me anyway? There are only five teachers and four house elves guarding each floor…" I giggled. Somehow, the image of a house elf attempting to halt Blaise Zabini's late-night wanderings amused me quite sincerely. Blaise scooted across the floor to me and wrapped me into his arms. I relaxed with a deep sigh of contentment, and he held me, there on the floor in the dimness of the girls' dormitory. Suddenly, we heard laughter and footsteps rising from the corridor. Blaise and I leapt up, and Blaise looked round at the window. 

"No time to jump out," Blaise said. He wriggled under my bed. No sooner had the last bit of his shoe disappeared under the ruffle that hung at the base of the mattress then Amanda and Eunice burst into the room. I hurriedly pretended to have been digging in my desk for something. 

"It's a bit chilly in here," Amanda said breathlessly, looking around. She clapped her hands and a light came on. "Well no wonder! The window's open!" She crossed to the window and shut it. A bit too late, I noticed Blaise's cloak on the floor. I hastened to pick it up, but Eunice was faster.

"Ooh, Erin! What's th-is?" she turned it into a two syllable word, teasing. "Have you been entertaining someone, hmmmm?" I blushed and Eunice laughed. "Could it belong to a tall, dark, handsome, boy of your dreams?"

"No, dear," I said sweetly. "That's _your_ dreams." Eunice laughed again and handed me back to lightweight silvery cloak. "You better shove it back to whomever it belongs to, though. Those are valuable." I nodded.

"How was your party?" I inquired, hoping to distract them. 

"What party?" Amanda laughed. "We were doing homework, Erin, honestly!" she looked at me. "Are you okay? You look a bit peaky. Flushed and all."

"No, no!" I said hastily. "I'm fine!" Now Eunice joined Amanda in peering at me. I prayed silently for some distraction, and presently it came. A huge crash resounded from the common room below us. 

"What was _that_?" we all exclaimed together. Amanda and Eunice turned and dashed down the stairs.

"Blaise!" I hissed. "Leg it! Pronto!" A muffled grunt came from under the bed. Blaise wriggled out from under the bed again, brushing himself off. I handed him the cloak and he strode over to the window, flinging it wide. He climbed halfway out, then turned and brushed my lips with a soft kiss. Then, he swung up onto the illustrious gargoyle and was gone. I heaved a sigh, and shut the window. That was close! Then, it was my turn to hurry down the stairs and investigate the source of the crash.


	9. Chapter Nine, In Which I Must Think Quic...

****

Chapter Nine, In Which I Must Think Quickly And The Plot Thickens

I stood at the bottom of the staircase, gaping. A huge tangle of writhing vines held several people captive on the other side of the common room. I got the feeling that I shouldn't move much, especially since vines were already twining my way.

"What happened?" I asked conversationally.

"Neville had an…accident," Hermione said. "A pot of Nathaira Vine had come under his possession, and he dropped it." Neville whimpered. A shiny-skinned vine was coiling around his chest, moving toward his neck. "It's a distant relative of Devil's Snare, and when its roots are contained, it is docile. As you can see, though, the pot has been shattered, and-"

"I think she can tell Hermione," Ron said from between gritted teeth. He too was entangled in the plant. "Any ideas pertaining to stopping this thing from killing us all?"

"Well, erm, no," Hermione said, biting her lip. "But it wouldn't help, would it? I mean, my wand hand is stuck in this thing. Ow!" The plant had wrapped itself more tightly around her wrist when she shook it. 

Well, I thought, Better to try something than stand like a lump. I raised my wand. "Crocatius!" I exclaimed, flicking my wand in the direction of the plant's roots. A large flower pot now contained the plant, complete with a lattice to support the now still greenery. The captives shoved the vines off of them selves and stepped back, looking in amazement at the sea of plant covering the rugs.

"Thanks, Erin," Hermione said. "I should have thought of that." Keana, Amanda, Eunice, Ron, Seamus, Lavender, Parvati, Dean, Harry, and a few younger students all echoed their agreement. 

"Hey, Neville," Lavender Brown called, smiling. "You better give Professor Sprout a call. Maybe she could use a cutting of this stuff…or knows how to prune it!" The collected students laughed. Neville managed a wavery smile and headed up the boys' staircase to his dormitory. I turned and returned upstairs, sinking onto my bed with a sigh. I gazed across the room and out of the window, watching wispy clouds drift across the moon now visible over the spindly treetops. 

I began to lie down, but I stopped when my head encountered something unexpected on the pillow. I rolled over to find a small, silver bracelet on the red pillowcase. I picked it up gently. The bracelet was almost fluid on my wrist as I fastened it smoothly and examined the delicate piece of jewelry. Looking closely, I saw that what at first sight looked only like simple chain was in fact a dainty interweaving of several strands of silver. Inside each hole formed by the weaving pattern was a tiny, glimmering star that caught every bit of light it could reach and sent it scattering in a million different directions. I was still staring at the beautiful bracelet when Amanda and Eunice burst into the room.

"What's that?" Eunice asked curiously.

"I found it on my pillow when I got up here," I explained, holding my wrist out so that she and Amanda could see. 

"Wow!" Amanda exclaimed. "It looks to be Goblin-wrought. I wonder…" she looked at me bemusedly. "No note or anything?" I shook my head. "And you birthday isn't for weeks! Well….it looks as though you've got yourself a secret admirer!"

"Ooh!" squealed Eunice. "That's _so_ exciting! Do you know who it is?" I thought fast. Should I tell them about Blaise? Was the bracelet from him in the first place?

"I have a pretty good idea, but I don't want to say anything yet. That could jinx it, you know," I answered. I yawned hugely. "I think I ought to go to bed," I told my friends. "It's pretty late!" All three of us crawled wearily into bed. My thoughts grew slower and slower until finally, they stopped and sleep gained control of my mind.

Sunshine was pouring through the window when I opened my eyes the next morning. Through the golden stream I could see blue sky and wispy clouds. I slid out of bed and dressed with a flick of my wand. At the last minute, I decided to slip the bracelet on. I traipsed down the stairs and found Dennis conversing with Colin by the fireplace, which lacked a fire. I waved hello, and Dennis excused himself from his brother and came over to me.

"Hey Erin!" he said, remarkably chirpy tone for this early. _My_ watch read eight-thirty; I don't know about his. "I've been waiting for you! Let's go down to breakfast now, whadd'ya say?"

"Sounds good. But Dennis, why are you so _cheerful_?" I asked.

"I let one of the third year girls practice her cheering charm on me," Dennis said somewhat sheepishly. "She's been wanting to practice, but she has tendency to overdo them so no one lets her near them if she's got a wand!" 

"Well, it sounds like it worked," I said, "and it certainly is a, er, change." Dennis shrugged jovially and led me from the room. 

"Nice bracelet," Dennis said as we passed the empty Transfiguration classroom. "Where did you get it?"

"A gift," I said. I decided to spare him the details. It would make him antsy once his current charm wore off. Dennis nodded and left it at that, and settled for making small talk as we made our way to the Great Hall. As we passed the Slytherin table, I looked for Blaise, but he wasn't there. Slightly disappointed I followed Dennis to the Gryffindor table and busied myself spreading a knife-full of sticky marmalade on toast. 

The morning owls swooped through the windows, circling over the tables as students peered anxiously into the air hoping for a message of their own. One particularly ratty owl sort of fell onto our table, managing to lose several feathers on its way. These feathers managed to collect on my marmalade, which I eyed with distaste and set down.

"Sorry about that," Ron said apologetically. "Errol's a bit on the barmy side…oh look! It's from mum!" He read his message and relayed it to Harry and Hermione, who laughed. 

"At least she didn't send you a Howler, eh?" Harry snickered. "Do you remember-" At this point, I stopped listening and ate my breakfast in relative silence, making myself a fresh, feather-free piece of toast.

Later that day I lay napping in one of the squashy, dilapidated armchairs that occupy Gryffindor common room. My dreams were gentle and brightly coloured, taking place far away from the current place and time. I nearly fell out of my chair when Dean Thomas stormed through the portrait hole, waking me as effectively as if he'd just wholloped me upside the head with a tennis racket. 

"She quit the team!" he bellowed. "She quit the bloody TEAM!" He continued to rant, swinging his arms around in fury, until Hermione flicked her wand, silencing him. Dean choked and grabbed his throat with a glare at the innocent expression on Hermione's face.

"You were interrupting my studying," she said sweetly. "Now, if you'd like to calm yourself a bit and explain to me exactly why you are roaring round here like a dragon with a head cold…" I giggled. Hermione flicked her wand once more, and Dean relaxed slightly, his hands curling in and out of fists. Once he had control of his himself. Dean proceeded to explain his fit of temper.

"Natalia Spearson quit the Quidditch team! She said it interfered with her homework or her studying or some other lame excuse." Hermione raised her eyebrows but Dean continued without noticing. "We've lost our best beater! No offense to Jake, but he truly isn't the best…Now we'll have to have tryouts and everything else. It's only two weeks till our match against Slytherin! I can't believe it…She quit the bloody team. SHE QUIT THE BLOODY TEAM!" Hermione waved her wand threateningly and Dean quieted again, looking sheepish. 

"Honestly, Dean," Hermione said with a sigh. "You're worse than Wood was sometimes!" Other members of the house team stumbled through the portrait hole, congregating around their significantly disgruntled captain. Hermione looked round at me and shook her head. I smiled in return and we looked away again, Hermione to her homework, and I to the window. 

The day was beautiful and bright outside. I stood up and moved over to the window seat, where I sat and observed the well kept grounds. The trees of the forest swayed gently high above vibrant green grass, and I could see people robed in canary yellow flitting around the Quidditch pitch. Down by the dark water of the lake, a lone figure in a dark green jumper sat below an aged birch tree, utterly absorbed in a thick book. I looked closer, and grinned. Blaise. 

I reached out and opened the window just a fraction of a centimetre. I slid the very tip of my slender wand into the crack, and aiming at Blaise's birch tree, whispered "particos!" A jet of pink light shot through the air, and a second later, rose-coloured confetti rained down on Blaise. Blaise jumped up, looking around until his eyes alit on the tower window. _My_ tower window. I grinned. Blaise waved at me, blew a kiss, and set to brushing himself off, confetti falling from his jeans and disappearing as it hit the ground. I turned away from the window and headed up to my room, feeling extremely pleased with myself.

* Sorry this took so long! I had some…erm…technical difficulties that involved leaving my disk at a friend's house and waiting to get it back…and it goes through a saga that I will not write here. I love you all, honestly. Have a _lurvely_ day, dahlings!


	10. Chapter Ten, In Which I Must Leave My Au...

****

Chapter Ten, In Which I Must Leave My Audience at a Cliffhanger

I read the slip of paper on the notice board, my heart thudding with excitement. This was my chance! Dean Thomas had put up a sign announcing Quidditch tryouts for the following week. I signed up, my pen shaking in my hand. I couldn't wait to tell Blaise! I walked away from the board and sat down next to Keana, who was playing chess with one of her friends.

"Hey Erin," she said as I sat. "Have you seen Natalie?"

"Spearson?" I inquired. Keana nodded. "No, sorry. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her much at all since last week when she resigned from the team. Only a couple of times at breakfast and only once in the common room. Do you suppose she's busy with schoolwork?"

"None of her teachers have assigned that much, though," Keana said. "I can't help thinking she's up to something." She groaned as her friend captured her queen. "I am so horrible at this!"" she moaned. Her friend giggled. I stood up and walked to the other side of the common room where Hermione at working on a star chart.

"Astrology again?" I asked.

"Nope," Hermione answered, still working. "This assignment is from Professor Vestor. It has to do with triangles."

"I'm hopeless at geometry," I confided. "It wouldn't make any sense to me at all!" Hermione laughed. "You know, that reminds me, I have some work to do upstairs. See you later!" I turned and headed up to my dormitory. Once inside the bright room, I sat at my desk and began shuffling through papers. My silver bracelet slid fluidly on my arm. 

I finished my Charms homework in an hour and moved cheerfully on to other things. It was a weekend, which for me meant that I would be meeting Blaise in an out-of-the-way corridor on the fifth floor. I lay on my bed reading a story about a girl who runs away from home and trips over this guy in the forest and…Oh well, the story's complicated. Anyway, I kept glancing up at the clock to see if it was time to go yet. Time flies when you're having fun, but not, apparently, if you're waiting for it. It took about a million years, but the clock _finally_ read 2:34. 

I left Gryffindor tower unquestioned, attempting to look like I was out for a round of research at the library. I don't know why, but it seemed that whenever I was meeting Blaise somewhere, I felt like I should be hiding it. Oh, yes, I do remember why. That would be because he's a Slytherin pureblood, and……I'm not. I reached the dimly lit corridor just in time to see Blaise approaching from the other end. I had to resist the urge to run toward him, but that would be too noisy. 

When he reached me, I threw my arms around his neck. He looked a bit surprised but didn't hesitate to pick me up and swing me around a bit. _That_ I liked. His tight, black, turtleneck made him look even more delectable than usual. (Id there's one thing I can't resist, it's a guy in a black turtleneck. Even my _dad_ would look good in one.) His eyes seemed to glow at me from under his dark hair. And when he spoke, his voice was warm and - I certainly like to think so, anyway - sexy.

"I'm still picking confetti out of my sweater, Erin," he teased. I giggled, sounding stupid.

"Oops!" I said. Could I get any stupider? I beleive the term for this sort of behavior is 'jelloid.' How pleasant.

"D'you like the bracelet?" he asked anxiously. "It's strung around unicorn hair."

" I love it!" I exclaimed, showing him my wrist. The bracelet gleamed. Blaise seemed to relax a bit.

"Anything interesting happened in Gryffindor? I heard there was some sort of an incident with a plant. I assume it's the one now poking out of the greenhouse roof?" I giggled again.

"Yeah," I said, trying to calm down. "He- Neville, that is -dropped the pot and it cornered several of the students." I said nothing about _my_ part in it, wanting to avoid sounding conceited. 

"I heard that you cleaned it up," Blaise continued, stroking my hand with his thumb. Ooooh, this was fantastic!

"Well…yeah, I did," I said. I hope to God I didn't sound smug.

"That's my girl," Blaise said. We began to walk down the corridor, swapping stories. "So Malfoy has been strutting around. Even cockier than usual, I mean. Pansy told me that she's seen him down in Snape's office a lot. She hasn't managed to find out why yet, but she's working on it. Crabbe and Goyle have been skulking around me some. I managed to ditch them today, but only just. I bet Malfoy se them on me. I'll have to come up with a really good hex to use. Apparently it's time to consult Richard Wiley* again." I laughed.

"I haven't seen anything of interest really. Out best beater quit the team, though," I said.

"I noticed Thomas looked a little cloudy. I 'spect that was it," Blaise said thoughtfully.

"For all that Natalie said she quit because it interfered with her studies, I haven't seen much of her around. I can't imagine why not…"

"I'll keep an eye out," Blaise told me. "Maybe she's been having trouble with something." I shrugged and we continued in relative silence, holding hands. We rounded a corner, and to our immense surprise, Professor McGonagall was hurrying down the hall toward us. We jumped apart. I realized afterward that it was probably a useless gesture. Professor McGonagall never missed a thing.

"Mr. Zabini," she called as she neared us, slightly out of breath. "Mr. Zabini, Professor Dumbledore _must_ see you now!" Blaise looked back at me, worry creasing his forehead. Professor McGonagall noted his gaze. "You probably ought to come too, Ms. MacGillian," she said kindly. "Hurry!"

Blaise and walked side by side after the professor. His presence at my side was very comforting, but I couldn't help the sensation that cold water was trickling lowly down my back. From Professor McGonagall's tone, I gathered that whatever it was, it something fairly important…

We finally reached the gargoyle that guarded Professor Dumbledore's office. Professor McGonagall gave the password (lollipop) and the gargoyle leapt aside. It waved at me as I passed. The moving staircase was ready and waiting, so we stepped onto it, Blaise behind me barely touching my hand. Professor McGonagall knocked sharply on the door and it opened before her. A group of unfamiliar witches and wizards greeted my eyes as we entered Dumbledore's office. All of the portraits around his desk were alert and listening. The seemed to relax slightly as Blaise entered the room after me. 

We slipped into a couple of squashy purple armchairs by the door and Blaise slipped my hand unconcernedly into his, tightning his hand reassuringly. One of the portraits, a squat woman with curly blond hair, smiled at me and cocked her head. I blushed a little. Professor Dumbledore cleared his throat and I watched him with rapt attention. He waited a moment before speaking. 

__

Steeling himself? I wondered. 

"Mr. Zabini," he said gravely, "you are in serious danger. Our midnight skulker has escaped. You are his target." 


	11. Chater Eleven, In Which Much is Disclose...

****

Chapter Eleven, In Which Much is Disclosed and I Come to Several Revelations

Blaise and I sat in stunned silence.

"His new target?" Blaise said, slightly confused.

"While he was in our captivity, we questioned him thoroughly about what exactly he was doing on our grounds, how he managed to get through the protective spells around the school, and who sent him here. He has a very strong resistance to verita serum, but given three drops of the undiluted potion, as well as putting him under the influence of a manual truth spell, we got some answers to our questions."

"Are you going to tell me what they were?" Blaise inquired.

"Indeed," Dumbledore answered. A few of the witches and wizards gathered in the room looked taken aback. "I have learned from experience that the most productive way of dealing with everyone involved in a difficult situation is to tell the truth," Dumbledore explained to the room. "The whole truth. If I do not, those involved, especially the younger people, tend to find out on their own, putting themselves and others in great danger." Dumbledore stopped and looked down at his desk, then back up at Blaise. "I assume you wish to know everything?" Blaise nodded.

"Then I shall start at the beginning. Forty years ago, before even your sister was born, Blaise, your parents became involved in the dark arts. They were less than terribly kind people while here at Hogwarts, as I'm sure you are aware." Blaise nodded, listening intently. "Less than a year after their graduation, Patricia and Frederick were married. They both had respectable jobs at the Ministry, working in the Department of Magical Messages, which has since been consolidated into part of the main office. 

"When Voldemort began gathering followers, the Zabinis were among the first people to swear their loyalty to him. Through their jobs at the Ministry, they were able to keep track of messages sent back and forth between the most powerful witches and wizards of their time, and in doing so, were able to inform Voldemort of what the government knew of him. When Frederick was moved from Magical Messages to Magical Transportation, he was able to cause accidents that disposed of people who knew too much. By pulling strings, sending anonymous threats, and by sheer bullying power, he influenced much of what happened at the Ministry. 

"Voldemort was most grateful of course, he paid them extremely well, tying the Zabini couple even closer to him. They promised him their firstborn child in return for even more power over the rest f his followers. Even now they are widely respected by their fellow Deatheaters for their loyalty to the dark lord. 

"When your sister, Cornelia was born, your parents, although disappointed that it wasn't a boy, celebrated with a lavish party. They made a mistake, though. At the very end of the party, as people were dispersing, one of your parents cast the Dark Mark into the sky. Ministry professionals were called in immediately, and several of the Deatheaters, including your parents, Blaise, were rounded up and put in Azkaban." Blaise looked shocked. 

"Your sister was sent to live with distant cousins on your mother's side, the only surviving relatives she had. Meanwhile, your parents were put on trial. They were convicted of treason, murder, and other things, but after three years, their sentence was appealed. I suppose that Voldemort put several members of the jury under the Imperious Curse, but their sentence was turned over. Your parents were freed."

"Why didn't he just curse the judge?" Blaise wanted to know. 

"Too risky," Dumbledore answered frankly. "Judge Hawkins was a very respectable fellow, very much on the side of the light. It would have been extremely suspicious for him to completely change his views, but by magically swaying the jury, he ensured that the Zabinis were returned. After they were released, they suffered a brief period during which they were tortured for their stupidity, but Voldemort returned them to their previous positions. Cornelia was returned to them, and a few months later, you were born. It was barely three months after your birth that Voldemort vanished.

"As Cornelia aged, your parents began to notice the resistance she held against the dark arts. She didn't seem to want to learn them! Most children raised in dark families were very accepting of the death and destruction they were taught. When Cornelia came to Hogwarts, she was sorted into Slytherin, but didn't appear to share the same views as the other Slytherin students. In fact, she was quite open about her opposition to the pureblooded views of half-blood and muggle-born students. She was friends with the Gryffindor house, and made a point of being friendly to the other two houses as well. 

"When your parents caught on, they attempted to forbid her from mingling with the other students. On holidays, they tried to beat her into submission. They knew Voldemort would be furious that she dared to defy his beliefs. They were sure that he would blame them for not controlling her properly. They tried the Imperious Curse on her, but she wouldn't submit. Finally in her fifth year, they disowned her. She stayed here for Christmas and Easter holidays, and for the summer, she stayed with a friend. The teachers were all quite concerned for your sister, but she was very brave. She accepted that Patricia and Frederick were different, and did not seem to harbor any anger or resentment towards them. 

"The year that Cornelia graduated, Voldemort began his strongest return ever. You were in your third year at Hogwarts, and Voldemort was planning his return here. Somehow, he got wind of Cornelia's decision to join the side of light. He was, as expected, furious with your parents, but since they had you as well, he was not as violent as he could have been. Through a friend at the Ministry, Cornelia found a job as an auror. Her previous connections to dark wizard families helped our side greatly. She was a strong woman, your sister." Dumbledore paused in his recounting. Blaise was watching him intently, his hand still tight around my own. I squeezed his hand in attempted reassurance, but he did not lift his gaze from Dumbledore.

"From the one of the Deatheaters that Cornelia helped catch, we found traces of a frightening plan. I'm sure your parents have told you that Cornelia was a traitor?" Blaise nodded assent. "That was because the witch that Cornelia brought to trial and conviction was one of the people she had stayed with so many years before. Under the influence of a truth spell, she divulged the makings of a complicated plan that would dispose of the threat that Cornelia posed to your parents and to Voldemort. 

"Cornelia was smart. With help from the Order of the Phoenix, she disappeared from view. She changed her name and went into hiding, helping annihilate dark wizards through tips that she remembered from home. Then, a new member arrived at Order headquarters. He was a mysterious man, not much of a background that we could find, but what we found seemed to be honest. He had helped the Ministry before, so we all accepted him as one of our own. This man turned out to be a dark spy for the dark side. More specifically, he was a spy for your parents. He stayed just long enough to find out everything that he could about Cornelia Zabini, now known as Alegria White. Then _he_ disappeared, leaving behind no traces. The Order realized what had happened and tried to get to Cornelia, but it was too late. By the time they reached your sister, she had been killed. Among her scattered belongings, we found a tiny, tattered photograph of you from school, and hidden nearby, we found a tiny parcel wrapped in brown paper. She was apparently going to send it to you if she could, but didn't get the chance before she was killed."

"The photograph," Blaise said dully. Dumbledore nodded sadly.

"Yes. We got it to you, and set about finding the man who betrayed not only your sister, but also several other members of the Order. We were forced to switch headquarters and we watched more carefully whom we accepted into the Order. Only people we were absolutely positive about were informed of our hiding places. Despite all of our efforts, we never found the mysterious man who sold us out. Until now.

"The intruder," Blaise said flatly.

"Exactly," Dumbledore agreed. "His name is Thaddeus Nocks. Under the influence of both a truth spell and verita serum, he told us that your parents had an informant here at school-one of the other dark family's son. He had informed them of your reluctance to join what he called 'mudblood bashing,' your distant friendship with Harry Potter, and the traces he'd seen of a secret relationship with an unknown Gryffindor girl." Erin stiffened. She'd gotten him into trouble!

"Your parents know that if Voldemort hears of this, he will quite possibly kill them both for failing yet again to wring the light part of your personality from your mind. They sent Thaddeus to confirm the rumors and, if necessary, cause an accident that would make you unfit to keep at school. Possibly to create enough damage to render you helpless to their power so that they could either keep you in St. Mungo's useless to everyone, or under the Imperious Curse back in their care. If you resisted, they would kill you themselves, or more likely, have Thaddeus do it. After we had the information we needed, we locked him away in a special room inaccessible by students. It appears however that there was a flaw in our defensive structure, for Thaddeus has escaped. We don't know where he is or what he may have told any dark wizard he meets."

"How would he be able to confirm the information the informant had given?" Blaise asked. "Wouldn't it be too dangerous to let the informant know what was going on?"

"Animagus," I realized at once. "A mouse or something, like the whole Peter thing a few years ago."

Dumbledore inclined his head. "Very astute, Erin. Yes, Thaddeus was an unregistered animagus, as the man himself informed us when we questioned him. He can transform at will into a garden snake. He would go relatively unnoticed inside the Slytherin quarters, I'm sure, and he would have been small enough to fit almost anywhere he liked. We were very fortunate to have caught him before he could get inside the castle."

"How did he get onto the grounds in the first place?" I asked. 

"A very good question," Dumbledore said.

****

To be continued….


	12. Chapter Twelve, In Which All Is Revealed...

****

Chapter Twelve, in Which Explanations Are Continued, and I Am Relocated

"The magical defenses around the school grounds will keep anyone with evil intentions out unless specifically invited by the Headmaster, which is at the current time, myself. That is how Professor Quirrel was able to enter Hogwarts unharmed. It seems that Mr. Nox managed to find something that I overlooked. He used a large crystal in a manner similar to a pen sieve and placed his evil thoughts inside it. There is no defense against magical crystals around the castle, so he was able to bring it with him and place his thoughts back inside his head, unstopped by our defenses." Dumbledore answered.

"Did you take his crystal once you caught him?" I asked. "Did it have any of his thoughts in it?" 

"Yes, but they were meaningless, babbling jumbles. Probably the remnants of dreams or trains of thought that never got anywhere." Dumbledore sighed. 

"So what happens now?" Blaise asked. "What can I do to stop the danger?"

"It would seem that you have a decision to make, Blaise Zabini. You may choose to stick with your beliefs at the risk of your own life and that of others close to you, you may choose to give them up and join Lord Voldem-"

"Never!" Blaise cried, jumping up. "Never!" Dumbledore held up his hand, and Blaise sank back into his chair.

"I must admit, I pleased at your adamant, but we have another option. There are processes we can use that will keep you from becoming entirely Voldemort's. This would allow you to remain on the side of light and work against the dark without excessive risk of your parents discovering your actions and killing you."

A bit of hope gleamed in Blaise's dark eyes. "What sort of processes," he asked with interest.

"We can help your mind set defenses against his probing and mind control. We can help you build defenses against pain. We can teach you powerful spells that could help you if you ever got caught. We could give you a second skin so that should you ever be forced to give up your position as a spy, the mark would not be present on your real body. We can give you ways to keep a relationship with someone without putting them in danger." Dumbledore's eyes glinted with a hint of sadness. I wondered what he was thinking. Surely he didn't think I'd be afraid to love Blaise now?

"I will not give up my beliefs because my parents do not understand that what they are doing is wrong," Blaise said firmly. 

"You realize that this choice may eventually lead you to being forced to turn them in," Dumbledore said sharply.

"I do," Blaise said, "and I am not afraid to do so. They have chosen a path of evil, and they must pay the consequences. Patricia and Frederick Zabini killed my sister. I will not ever forgive them for that." In that moment, I realized that Blaise could be more frightening and at the same time more wonderful than anything I could imagine. The fire in his eyes and the set look on his face filled me with a mixture of pride and love that I find it very hard to explain. Here was someone who could devote himself completely to what they believe in. A shiver ran down my spine. I looked back at Dumbledore to see him watching me speculatively.

"Erin, are you afraid to face this danger with Blaise?"

"No." I said it firmly and confidently. Blaise's hand tightened around mine. Suddenly, I was fighting not to cry. 

I surveyed the room doubtfully. "How will I take my classes?" I asked, taking in the comfortable looking bed, lushly carpeted floor, and abundance of heavy, oak doors at every wall.

"Your teachers will be given notice that you are 'away,' so to speak. You will study and complete your homework here," answered Professor Dumbledore.

"I assume meal sand all will be here, too?" I queried.

"Yes, our magnificent house, or should I say, castle elves will see to cleaning, meals, and anything else you desire. In fact, I shall assign one to each of you first thing in the morning."

"And are you positive these rooms are entirely safe?" Blaise looked sharply at the Headmaster, who nodded.

"Quite certain. And your suite is just like this."

"I suppose if Blaise insists that I stay here-"

"Which I most certainly do," Blaise interrupted.

"-then I shall," I sighed. "Will I be able to contact my friends?

"For the time being, my answer must be no, Erin. Until we are entirely certain of who is informing Patricia and Frederick of your situation." Dumbledore's eyes were tinted with worry. I know my disappointment was blatantly obvious on my face, but then Dumbledore started.

"Blaise, are you familiar with floo powder?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes, sir," Blaise answered promptly. I looked around at them both, utterly confused.

"I expect that you may visit Erin by way of the 'Bust Method,' with the aid of a special charm." Blaise's face lit up. Dumbledore smiled warmly as Blaise moved over to me and slipped his arm around my waist.

"Thank you, Professor," Blaise said, his voice pleasant and strong.

"I'll give you two a few moments," Dumbledore said. He winked and vanished with a wave of his wand.

"Thank you Erin," Blaise said quietly after a moment.

"For what?" I asked, looking up at him with again, genuine confusion.

"For not fighting me on this. You mean quite a lot to me, and I could never forgive myself were anything to happen to you," he answered. His deep eyes shimmered with a strange mixture of love and regret, fear mingled with a glow of happiness.

"Blaise," I began, "what all of this boils down to is something bigger than either of us. I know it sounds cliched and all, but it is truly Good versus Evil, Light versus Dark. All you and I can do is work for what we believe in, Blaise, and that is exactly what I am going to do. I truly believe that you are the only person in the existing universe that I could ever love this way. I'll do anything for you, Blaise. _Even_ stay locked in an odd room with no contact with the outside world!" I smiled, lightening the first half of my speech. Blaise bent his head and kissed me, catching my breath away. When Dumbledore returned, he found me in Blaise's arms, nestled into his chest, his chin on top of my head.

"Time to go, Blaise," Dumbledore said softly. "You will see her tomorrow." Blaise reluctantly let go of me. He stepped toward Dumbledore, but then I thought of something and threw out my arm.

"Blaise!" I said. He stopped and turned back to me. "I think I would have liked Cornelia," I said. It sounded lame to my own ears, but Blaise smiled, if sadly.

"And she would have liked you, too," he said, and vanished.


End file.
